Pulley



y 1931. T. ROBINS 7 1,803,357

' PULLEY Filed Jan. 26, 1929 "/6117! Z560 T TC/(fl Patented Ma 5,1931,

- UNITED. STATES'PATE'NT- OFFICE THOMAS ROBINS, 01" NEW YORK,- N. Y., ASSIGNOR 'I'O rm, OI PA$8AIC, NEW JERSEY, K CORPORATION 01' JERSEY PULLEY Application filed January 20, 1929. Serial No. 335,272.

" This invention relates to pulleys,- arid more particularly to idler pulleys for conveyer belts.

The most common form of idler pulley is made of cast iron. It has two objectionable features, viz.: its greatiweight and its high cost, owing to the large amount of metal therein, and to the expansive machine work required mainl in facing the periphery or rim' of the pul ey. With the view of overcoming these objections pulleys have been made of pressed, rolled and drawn steel,.but while such materials are relatively light, they rust quickly and they do'not withstand abrasions r The ob'ect of my invention is to provide a pulley 0 simple and eflicient construction that will possess the merits of lightness and low cost, that will withstand abrasion and corrosion, and will also present a resilient surface havin the capacit of absorbing shocks and re ucing their e ect on the associated belt and the pulley structure and sup ports.

To this end, my invention, generally stated, comprises a pulle having a rim of stout woven wire, expan ed metal, or other, foraminated material of ade uate strength, covered throughout its perip cry with soft rubber or other suitable tough and resilient material, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings v v Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of an idler pulley embodying my invention.

ig. 2 is a similar view of a modicationQ.

Figs. 3 and 4 are larged, throu h the lines 3-3 an tively.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a pulley rimcomprising a cylindrical structure of foraminated metal 6, having elements which extend back and forth such, for example, as the strands of stout woven wire, as

transverse sections, en-

ulley rim, as on the 4-4 0 Figs. 1 and 2, respecrepresented in Figs'l and 3, or the interconnecting elements of expanded sheet metal, as represented in Figs. 2 and 4, which rim is illustrated in the present instance as supported on circular end heads 7 connected by a central tube 8 adapted to receive the shaft or axle of the pulley. The foraminated met- :11 structure, though relatively light, possesses adequate strength forits intended purpose, while the portions of the elements in contact with the heads will grip the heads and retain the rim in positionon the heads.

This structureis provided with a homo-l geneous covering 9 of rubber, or other suitable tough resihent material, which is em- ,bedded in the meshes or openings between the various elements of the structure, and between portions of the elements and the peripheries of the heads, thus firmly anchoring the elements to each other and to the heads, as illustrated. The covering, which is of substantial thickness, effectually withstands the abrasive action thereon of hard substances, particularly when the pulley is .used in connection with conveyor belt systems; it absorbs the resulting shocks, reducing their effect on the associated belt and the pulley structure and supports; it shields and protects the metal structure from the injurious influence of moisture and acids; it presents to the belt an effective frictional contact surface, and, finally, it can be produced at low cost compared with that of a cast-iron pulley, as prevlously mentioned;

claim- 1. A pulley comprising a rim support, a rim formed of foraminated metal having elements which extend back and forth with portions in contact with the su port and a tough resilient covering for the oraminated metal filling the spaces between the various elements and between portions of some of said comprising end heads, a connonins comma BELT conformed of foraminated metal havin elements which extend back and forth wit portions in contact with the heads and a tough resilient covering for the foraminated metal filling the spaces between the various elements and between portions of some of said elements and the heads.

3. A pulley comprising a hollow cylindri: cal structure of stout Vwoven-wire, and a peripheral covering therefor of soft rubber embedded and anchored in the meshes of the W116.

Signed at New York in the county and State of New York this 23d day of January, A. D. 1929. V

' THOMAS ROBINS. 

